BMW-tuner Alpina ripped the turbodiesel out of a 1-series, tuned it and dropped it in a 3-series. The result? Try 0-to-60 MPH in 6.9 seconds and 45 MPG (US).

Best known in the US for the Alpina B7, which is the M7 BMW never built, Alpina has a long history of tweaking diesels in Europe. Taking a smaller engine from the diesel 123d and transplanting it in the 3-series is a touch strange, but you end up with a unique tuner car capable of adequate performance, a 152 MPH top speed and impressive mileage of 45 MPG (US).

What costs six figures, produces 516 lb-ft of torque and looks like something Chris Bangle once…
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For just $43,000 you can feel as green as a hybrid owner and, with 332 lb-ft of torque on tap, you can leave them in your eco-friendly dust.

The new BMW ALPINA D3 Bi-Turbo Saloon

Unbeatable combination of performance, economy and emissions

The new BMW ALPINA D3. Saloon car evolution of the acclaimed D3 Coupe is now in the showrooms. A four cylinder four-door car, arguably the cleverest buy for all discerning UK drivers, delivering more than any larger engined counterpart in terms of performance, economy, low emissions and sheer exclusivity.

ALPINA engineers have once again used their development of BMW's state-of-the-art twin turbo diesel engine from the 123d, which – at 214 hp – produces more horsepower per litre than any other engine in a current BMW ALPINA road car.

Like the previous D3 Saloon, all UK cars will be ordered in a single specification meaning that customers only need to choose between manual and automatic gearbox and select their preferred colour and trim.

The car is capable of 152 mph and 0-62 mph in 6.9 secs and yet the official fuel consumption and emission figures tell a very different story: 52.3 mpg (overall EU) and 143 g/km (manual gearbox version).

John Quigley, Managing Director of ALPINA GB said: "The previous model D3 was one of our most successful cars ever. We believe we really hit the spot in terms of performance, exclusivity and price. But the new car is even better than the previous model in all the key areas; performance is improved, yet both fuel economy and – crucially – emissions are reduced. Around half of D3 sales will be to business users – who will relish any opportunity to lower their personal benefit in kind charges."

ALPINA GB, part of the Sytner Group, has been the sole UK importer for ALPINA since 1983. ALPINA has worked closely with BMW since 1961, with shared warranty coverage since 1964. ALPINA was registered as an automobile manufacturer to ISO standards in 1983.